Animated figure toy



fiept. 17, 1935. o. ERICKSON MWW ANIMATED FIGURE TOY Filed July 31, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenior 0;; E zm Sept. 17, 1935. o. ERICKSON ANIMATED FIGURE TOY Filed July 31, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 03/ vkv smz Patented Sept. 17, 1935 I 2,015,009

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMATED FIGURE TOY Obi Erickson, Eagle Grove, Iowa, assignor of onefourth to Russell W. Good and one-fourth to Carl N. Sunner, both of Eagle Grove, Iowa Application July 31, 1934, Serial No. 737,822

3 Claims. (01. 46-40) This invention relates to figure toys of the metuating crank Ill confined within, the limits of chanical animated variety and has more particuthe mechanism or chamber or compartment ll lar reference to a structure embodying a bird of the figure toy. As before stated the toy is v fashioned to represent a Woodpecker and confashioned to represent a Woodpecker. It comstructed for operation in conjunction with a simprises a casing l2 of appropriate shape and diple wind motor. mension which is secured to one end of the head In introducing this invention as a novel con- 1 and which is provided at its lower end with tribution to thetrade and the art I am not unan imitation tail l3 above which is a slot M permindful of the fact that the field of invention to mitting access to be had to the compartment which it pertains discloses a multitude of differ- II. In the top or crown portion of the shell like 10* ent figure toys of various types including loose casing is a slot l5 to accommodate the osciljointed parts activated by mechanical means. In latory head unit I 6. This head unit is in the form fact I am conversant with prior patented wind of a pendulous member and includes a head I! operated toys wherein a simple motor embodying and a shank portion l8 the shank being pivotally a rotary shaft and operating fan is corelated with mounted in the shell as indicated at I9. The 1'5 the limbs and other portions of the toy to prohead is shaped to represent that of a woodduce the desired life-like actions. pecker and is appropriately formed in relation- By way of contrast the invention constituting ship to the remainder of the body and tail structhe subject matter herein disclosed has to do ture to provide the desired representative feawith a simple and economical stand constituting tures. It is therefore formed with a suitable 20 a support for a wind rotated power supply stand bill or beak 20. In action it is supposed to move and a support for a unique toy designed to proup and down in a step by step or progressive vide the desired intriguing and amusing results manner to provide the desired life like pecking for juveniles. e motions for the head and bill. Generally stated The particular construction adopted as repit has three distinct positions, that is the per- 25 resentative of the preferred embodiment of the pendicular full line position shown in Figure 3, invention will become more readily apparent the lower dotted line position indicated at 2| from the accompanying illustrative drawings and and the intermediate position indicated by dotted the complemental explanatory descriptive matlines as at 22. This movement is accomplished t r, by the action of the crank H) and the comple- 30- In the drawings: mentary features. It will be noticed that the Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the asedge portion 23 (see Figure 3) is curved to prosembly constituting the preferred embodiment of vide a cam. The lower end portion of the shank the invention. is out 01f on a diagonal line and fastened to Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken apthis at one end as indicated at 24 is a heavy 35 proximately on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figrubber strip 25 which functions as a trip eleure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. ment. The free end portion 26 projects beyond Figure 3 is a similar sectional view looking the cam edge 23 in a position to be in the path in an opposite direction and taken on the plane of movement of the revoluble crank 10. The nuof the vertical line 33 of Figure 1. meral 21 designates a keeper notch in which one 40 Figure 4 is an end elevational View of the figure end of a rubber band or equivalent element 28 is constituting a representation of the so-called located, this band partially embracing the shank Woodpecker. and being anchored on a pin as indicated at 29.

Referring to the general assembly illustrated All of these essential parts are concealed and in Figure 1 it will be observed that the support confined within the compartment ll of the shell. 45 comprises a suitable base 5 and a standard 6 It is noted, of course, that the trip forming eleforming a pedestal for supporting the horizontalment 25 is fastened at one end while the oppoly disposed top bar 1. The top bar is, broadly site end 26 is free to flex away from the diagstated, a head and serves as a convenient adaptonal or biased lower edge of the shank l8. The

er for the wind motor and toy figure. The wind angle to which the element 25 flexes with re- 50 motor comprises a rotary bladed fan or propellor spect to the lower edge of the shank is shown in 8 secured operatlvely to one end of a horizontal dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. The power transmitting shaft 9. The shaft is suitcrank l0 turns counter clockwise and the parts ably journalled in a hearing at the left hand end are positioned as shown in Figure 3 of the drawand at its opposite end is provided with an acings at the beginning of the downward stroke. 55

As the crank bears on cam 23 the head I! is moved uniformly downwardly to the end of the stroke and against the tension of the rubber band 28 and the end of the stroke is indicated by dotted line position 2|. At this point, crank l0 slips off cam 23 but bears solely on trip 26 in which case the rubber band acting on shank l8 snaps body 16 back to the dotted line position indicated at 22 while element 25 flexes away from the lower edge of the shank l8, and at the dotted line position 22 there is a slight oscillatory movement followed by a momentary pause. As crank H1 continues its rotation bearing solely on member 25 it slips off extension 26 and is returned by rubber band 28 to upright position shown in full lines in Figure 3 of the drawings ready for another cycle of operation. The foregoing described movements result in the simulation of the pecking action of a Woodpecker.

Novelty is predicated upon a portable pedestal serving as a support for the wind motor and the figure toy. The principal novelty, however, is based upon the construction of the toy itself, especially the details illustrated in Figure 3.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. As a new article of manufacture a toy figure constructed in outline and shape to represent a Woodpecker and including a hollow shell defining a mechanism compartment, said shell provided at its lower end with a depending tail and at its upper end with a guide slot, a head unit having a portion extending into said shell through said slot and pivoted in said shell, said extended end portion being provided with a keeper notch, a rubber band extending through said notch and anchored at one end in said shell to move the head in one direction in the slot, said extended end portion being further provided on its lower end with a flexible trip element, and a power operated shaft including a crank mounted for rotation in said shell and cooperable with the adjacent edge portion of said extension as well as the adjacent end portion of said trip.

2. The combination with a rotatable support carrying a wind motor and a drive shaft connected with the motor of a slotted body shell constructed to simulate a Woodpecker, said drive shaft journaled to said body shell and formed with a crank, rotatable within the body shell, 2. head simulating member pivoted to said body shell having a pendant portion extending through the slot into the body shell in a certain arc in the revolution of the crank for the purpose of rocking the head member from the uppermost to the lowermost limit of the pecking stroke, retractile means coacting with the head member to return the head member to the uppermost limit from the lowermost limit of the pecking stroke, and flexible means carried by the pendant portion of the head member lying in another arc of revolution of the crank independent of the first mentioned arc whereby the return of the head member from the lowermost to the uppermost limit is arrested at an intermediate point in the return pecking stroke giving an oscillatory movement followed by a pause.

3. A figure toy comprising a slotted body shell constructed to simulate a Woodpecker, a power driven crank journaled to the shell body for rotation therein, a head simulating member pivoted to said body having a pendant portion extending through the slot in a certain arc in the revolution of the crank for the purpose of rocking the head member from the uppermost to the lowermost limit of the pecking stroke, retractile means coacting with the head member to return the head member to the uppermost limit from the lowermost limit of the pecking stroke, and flexible means carried by the pendant portion of the head member lying in another are of the revolution of crank independent of the first mentioned are whereby the return of the head member from the lowermost to the uppermost limit is arrested at an intermediate point in the return stroke giving an oscillatory movement followed by a pause.

OBI ERICKSON. 

